Sliding wall arrangement for covered railroad freight cars and containers

ABSTRACT

Sliding wall sections are co-planar in the closed state and are movable out of the closing plane and into a shifting plane by operation of respective hand levers and actuating linkage connected to the hand levers. The wall sections are displaceable longitudinally, to open the sliding walls, on rolls engaging fixed wall parts and intermediate posts of a side wall frame having an upper stringer, a lower outer beam and corner posts. Sealing of the vertical edges of the sliding wall sections to each other and to the corner and intermediate posts of the side wall frame is effected by labyrinth packings. Each actuating linkage is operable to oscillate a respective upper shaft about a longitudinal axis, and each upper shaft has at least two levers extending therefrom and rotatably mounting rollers in their free ends. Brackets are supported on the floor of the container, adjacent the lower outer beam, by parallel linkages for substantially horizontal movement transversely of the container, each bracket including a vertical web plate on its outer end extending longitudinally of the container, and each web plate, in the outer position of each bracket, conformingly fitting in a cutout in a depending leg of the lower outer beam. The respective parallel linkages include levers secured to respective lower shafts oscillatable about a longitudinal axis by the associated actuating linkage. Arms on the upper portion of each wall section support runner rolls rotatable about horizontal axes, and have supporting cams cooperating with the first mentioned rolls. Lower supporting arms on each wall section rotatably support rolls for rotation about vertical axes and have channel-shaped guide clamps embracing the web plate of the associated bracket and operable to embrace the vertical leg of the lower outer beam. Each wall section, when moved into the shifting plane by oscillation of the upper and lower shafts, is displaceable longitudinally by engagement of its runner rolls with a continuous runner rail and by engagement of its lower rolls with the outer surface of the dependent leg of the outer beam. Interengageable metallic seals are provided on the ends of the wall sections, with each seal including a series of sealing sections arranged along the associated vertical end, the sealing sections having bevelled outer sealing surfaces which alternately slant in respective opposite directions. Profile strips at each corner and intermediate post are arranged to rotate about vertical axes and engage the ends of a wall section when the latter is being moved into the closing plane to guide the section obliquely toward the longitudinal center line of the container to effect tight sealing engagement of the sealing surfaces of the section with the mating sealing surfaces of an adjacent wall section already in the closing plane.

llnited States Patent [191 Kampmann et al.

[ Aug. 13, 1974 SLIDING WALL ARRANGEMENT FOR COVERED RAILROAD FREIGHT CARS AND CONTAINERS [75] Inventors: Gerhard Kampmann,

Netphen-Dreis-Tiefenbach; Felix Schneider, Netphen-Eckmannshausen, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Waggon Union GmbH, Siegen,

Germany 221 Filed: Apr. 16, 1 973 [21] Appl.No.:-35l,8'11

52 us. c|... 105/378, 49/475 [51] Int. Cl ..E01b 17/00 [58] Field of Search 105/378, 379, 343, 286,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,190,239 6/1965 Davis 1057378. 3,265,015 8/1966 Adler 105/378 3,504,638 4/1970 Yelin 105/378 3,512,484 5/1970 Madland et a1 105/378 3,587,477 6/1971 Ferris et al 105/378 3,645,214 2/1972 McLaughlin 105/378 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlew and Tuttle [57] ABSTRACT Sliding wall sections are co-planar in the closed state and are movable out of the closing'plane and into a shifting plane by operation of respective hand levers and actuating linkage connected to the hand levers. The wall sections are displaceable longitudinally, to open the sliding walls, on rolls engaging fixed wall parts and intermediate posts of a side wall frame having an upper stringer, a lower outer beam and corner posts. Sealing of the vertical edges of the sliding wall sections to each other and to the corner and intermediate posts of the side wall frame is effected by labyrinth packings. Each actuating linkage is operable to oscillate a respective upper shaft about a longitudinal axis, and each upper shaft has at least two levers extending therefrom and rotatably mounting rollers in their free ends.- Brackets are supported on the floor of the container, adjacent the lower outer beam, by parallel linkages for substantially horizontal movement transversely of the container, each bracket including a vertical web plate on its outer end extending longitudinally of the container, and each web plate, in the outer position of each bracket, conformingly fitting in a cutout in a depending leg of the lower outer beam. The respective parallel linkages include levers secured to respective lower shafts oscillatable about a longitudinal axis by the associated actuating linkage. Arms on the upper portion of each wall section support runner rolls rotatable about horizontal axes, and have supporting cams cooperating with the first mentioned rolls. Lower supporting arms on each wall section rotatably support rolls for rotation about vertical axes andhave channel-shaped guide clamps embracing the web plate of the associated bracket and operable to embrace the vertical leg of the lower outer beam. Each wall section, when moved into the shifting plane by oscillation of the upper and lower shafts, is displaceable longitudinally by engagement of its runner rolls with a continuous runner rail and by engagement of its lower rolls with the outer surface of the dependent leg of the outer beam. lnterengageable metallic seals are provided on the ends of the wall sections, with each seal including a series of sealing sections arranged along the associated vertical end, the sealing sections having bevelled outer sealing surfaces which alternately slant in respective opposite directions. Profile strips at each comer and intermediate post are arranged to rotate about vertical axes and engage the ends of a wall section when the latter is being moved into the closing plane to guide the section obliquely toward the longitudinal center line of the container to effect tight sealing engagement of the sealing surfaces of the section with the mating sealing surfaces of an adjacent wall section already in the closing plane.

16 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PAIENIED B 3,828,693

sum 3 BF 7 H6. 3 FIG.5

PAIENIE we: 3mm

sum u or 7 PAIENIED mm 31m SHEET 5 BF 7 won PATENIEU AUG 1 3 I974 SHEET 6 [1F 7 PATENIED mm 31914 SHEET 7 UF 7 FIG.|2

A FISH SLIDING WALL ARRANGEMENT FOR COVERED RAILROAD FREIGHT CARS AND CONTAINERS FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a sliding wall arrangement for covered railroad freight cars and containers, the sliding wall sections, which are co-planar in the closed states, being pivotable, by a hand lever and an actuating linkage connected thereto, transversely of the car or container out of the closing plane into a shifting plane, and being displaceable lengthwise of'the car or container, for opening, by means of rolls engaging fixed wall parts and intermediate posts, with the sealing of the vertical ends of the sliding wall sections, at the corner posts and intermediate posts of the side walls, being effected by means of labyrinth packings'.

Covered railroad freight cars and containers having sliding wall sections which are co-planar in the closed stateare known per se. In one known design, the side wall of a railroad freight car is divided by an intermediate column at the midpoint of the length of the car, this intermediate element constituting a support element connecting the outside long beam of the undercarriage with the upper stringer of'the box frame, and receiving the closing and pivoting means of the sliding wall sections adjacent thereto on the right and on the left. Each side wall has two sliding wall'sections, sliding-in rails in the upper stringer or, respectively, on the outer longitudinal beam or on the sliding wall section then in the closed position, The disadvantage of this design is that, with todays long freight cars, the wall parts or sections become too large and unmanageable, resulting in certain difficulties arising in operation and in assembly.

In another known design, a covered railroad freight car has four sliding wall sections on each side of the car, and which engage each other in a common plane in the closed state. In this design also, the side wall frame or car box skeleton is stiffened by intermediate columns. The central slidingwall sections are pivoted out through roll guides and lower slideways, and are then shifted longitudinallyover the adjacent outer side wall sections, The outer sliding wall sections are shifted longitudinally without being previously moved outwardly or disengaged from contiguous freight. In practice, however, this design is advantageous because, due to run-up" impacts, freight may press against the sliding wall sections, and it is then no longer possible to open these sections.

In still another known sliding wall arrangement, the side walls do not have any intermediate support columns. The end or outer sliding wall sections of the fourpart sliding walls, are held at the bottom, through lower runner rolls and upper slideways or through upper runner rolls and lower slideways, by double track rail parts or, respectively, by single track guide rail parts, the runner and guide rail parts being pivotally mounted on a continuous shaft and the runner or guide rails being fixed to the undercarriage. In the upper stringer, pivotable guide rails, extending lengthwise of the sliding wall section, or double track runner rails of equal length, are mounted pivotably. The disadvantage of this design is that the exposed lower runner or guide rails may easily become deformed when loading the car and, for this reason, they must be formed as ram planks at a high cost.

It is known also, for side walls without intermediate columns and having four sliding wall sections, to arrange the sliding wall sections to run through rolls on runner rails at the bottom and to be guided by means ofguide pins in guide ways at the top, in such away that either the outer or the central sliding wall section carry, at their ends, vertical shafts with crank arms on which the runner rolls and guide pins are arranged, and through which the sliding wall parts are pivotable out of the closing position into the shifting position. The supporting arms of the runner rolls of the other sliding wall sections are articulatedly mounted on the sliding wall section against rubber buffers, so that these sliding wall sections easily lift off the freight when being released from their closing position.

The two last-mentioned designs are, however, disadvantageous for various reasons. For one thing, the structural length of todays freight cars is so great that, for side walls without intermediate columns, insertion of the sliding wall sections into closing position is no longer assured, especially when'the car is loaded, due to the large sag of the roof. In addition, the sliding wall sections are not fully interchangeable. Each sliding wall section must be shifted into its predetermined position and be fixed, when closing the sliding wall sections, at a high cost in time and labor of the operators.

Finally, all of these known designs have, at the outside or outer longitudinal beam of the undercarriage, runner or guide rails which, with the common method of loading freight by means or lift or fork stackers, are very easily damaged or deformed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the objective of the present invention to provide, for covered railroad freight cars and containers of the above-mentioned kind, a sliding wall arrangement in which the sliding wall parts are fully interchangeable, the arrangement of the rail in the upper stringer is greatly simplified, the sliding'wall parts or sections can be slipped onto the runner rail in a completely pre-assembled state, from one end wall and one after the other, the outer longitudinal beams of the undercarriage are kept free of runner and guide rails, and sealing of the vertical ends of the sliding wall sections is effected purely metallically.

In accordance with the invention, this objective is attained in that, for each sliding wall part, there are arranged, in the upper stringer of the side wall frame, at least two rolls or guide forks mounted at the free ends of levers and which rolls or guide forks are secured, for oscillation transversely of the car or container, to preferably hollow shafts rotatable by the actuating linkage. In the floor of the car or container, near the outer'longitudinal beams, there are mounted brackets which, in the pivoted out position, fill cutouts in the outer longitudinal beams through the medium of associated web plates on their outer ends, these brackets being pivotable transversely of the car or container by levers acting as parallel guide linkages and coupled with the actuating linkages through preferably hollow shafts. On their upper ends, the sliding wall sections carry, on upper supporting arms, runner rolls rotatable about horizontal axes and supporting cams cooperating with the rolls or guide forks. On their bottom portions, the sliding wall sections carry lower supporting arms having, at their free ends, rolls rotatable about vertical axes and guide clamps embracing the lower edge of a depending leg of the outer longitudinal beams or, respectively, the web plates of the brackets. ln shifting from the closing plane into the shifting plane, the sliding wall sections are guided, at the top, through the rolls or guide forks and, at the bottom, through the brackets, the sliding wall sections being then displaceable, at the top, along an uninterrupted straight continuous runner rail arranged in the upper stringer and, at the bottom, ove the exterior surface of the depending leg of the outer longitudinal beams by means of the lower rolls, the upper runner rolls engaging the continuous runner rail.

Furthermore, at each vertical end of the sliding wall sections, packing strips are arranged one above the other, or the packing strips are arranged at one vertical end of teach sliding wall section with the other vertical end having a profile formed with sections matching the packing strips. The packing strips and the end profiles are provided, at their closing edges, alternately with oppositely directed slants toward the longitudinal center line of the car. The horizontally eo-planar packing strips and sections of the end profile of each side wall section are of the same size and their slanting or bevelled surfaces extend in the same direction. Movement of the sliding wall sections, when being introduced into their closing position, is effected by guides, at least in the last phase of the closing operation, so that the sliding wall sections are guided obliquely toward the longitudinal axis of the car and against the adjacent sliding wall sections, whereby the slants and inclinations of the packing strips and sections of the end profiles, lying in the corresponding planes, engaged tightly one against the other. On their exterior, the supporting arms of each sliding wall section have vertical surfaces which, in the closing position of the sliding wall sections, fill out flush the cutouts of the outer longitudinal beams in the running plane of the rolls.

With this arrangement of the sliding wall sections embodying the invention, all sliding wall sections can be made the same so that, both in assembly and when opening and closing the sliding wall sections, free interchange of their positions is possible. The sliding wall sections require no runner or guide rails of any kind at the bottom of the outer longitudinal beams or in the floor of the freight car or container. The sturdy outer longitudinal beam itself forms, with its exterior surface, the bearing for the lower rolls. Damage to runner and guide rails, from lift stackers or fork stackers, cannot occur. ln assembling, all the sliding wall sections of a side wall can be introduced or fixed from one end wall of the freight car or container.

For the purpose of stopping in the shifting position and before the closing position, each sliding wall section carries, at its longitudinal center, a vertically displaceable spring-loaded ratchet bolt, and respective catches, cooperable with the ratchet bolts, are arranged, for this purpose, on the outer longitudinal beam for each sliding wall section. Thereby, the sliding wall sections are immovably fixed in the closing position as well as in the pivoted-out or shifting position by the ratchet bolts and the cooperating catches longitudinally of the car. To uncouple the ratchet bolt and to shift the associated sliding wall section, a sliding lever, cooperating with the ratchet bolt, is articulatedly arranged on each sliding wall section. By the arrangement of the locking means at the longitudinal center of the sliding wall sections, each sliding wall section can be fixed in front of any desired other sliding wall section of the side wall.

A vertical web, guided in a guide slot of the sliding wall section, is arranged on the ratchet bolt, while the sliding lever has, fixed to its joint, a double-arm lift lever, the ratchet bolt being liftable through the web and lift lever to pivot the sliding lever in each longitudinal direction of the car.

The handling of the sliding wall sections is greatly simplified by this arrangement of the ratchet bolt and of the sliding lever in accordance with the invention. For shifting, each sliding wall section must carry a shifting handle. Due to the fact that this shifting handle has been coupled, in accordance with the invention, with the ratchet bolts, the actuation of the wall parts or sec tions is greatly simplified and the safety of operation is greatly enhanced.

The respective actuating linkage and hand lever for each outer sliding wall section is secured, in a known manner, to a respective corner post, while the respective actuating linkage and hand lever of each central sliding wall section is arranged on an intermediate post, as is also known, the required rotary movement of the oscillatable shafts being effected through push rods and levers by each hand lever, with each hand lever being secured in its end position by a respective releasable catch.

To prevent a pivoting of the actuating means, with the sliding wall sections shifted, and thus to prevent a malfunction, there is arranged, in the upper stringer and for the shaft of each actuating device, at least one flap pivotable longitudinally of the freight car or container about a horizontal pivot. This flap, with the sliding wall section closed or in the pivoted-out position, is pivoted upwardly by a supporting arm and, being so pivoted, clears the pivot path of the lever, and which flap, with the sliding wall section displaced, engages behind the lever to prevent a pivoting thereof.

The packing strips on at least one vertical end of each sliding wall section are mounted movable on the sliding wall section by rubber buffers. Also, the packing strips are arranged for limited vertical adjustment by means of rubber insets. By this design and arrangement of the packing strips and of the end profiles, according to the invention, a purely metallic sealing between the adjacent side wall sections is attained, and this moveover acts as a clamping so that, should freight engage one sliding wall section, the adjacent sliding wall section acts as a eo-supporting member. The elastic mounting of the packing strips in the horizontal and vertical direction compensates sealing faults due to heat expansion or structural imperfections, and permits a uniform tight application of the sliding wall sections against each other.

The closing edges of the packing strips and end profiles preferably are designed in the form of a stretched Z, whereby a labyrinth effect of the scaling is attained.

The vertical ends of each bevel of the packing strips and of the sections of the end profile are bevelled with converging inclinations, these inclinations and the bevels of the closing edges being designed so that their intersections with the contiguous bevels and inclinations, acting in other directions, lie at the midpoint of the height of each bevel and inclination. The sliding wall sections thereby are centered exactly in closing, whereby a tight application is assured and the sliding wall sections are fully interchangeable.

The labyrinth packings of the corner posts and intermediate posts are designed as swingable profile strips, known in themselves, with each profile strip, embracing a sliding wall section in the closing position, being movable about a vertical axis by being either pivoted directly by the sliding wall section in opposition to spring force, in opening and closing over a dead center, or by being positively guided by the device for opening and closing the sliding wall section.

A sliding wall arrangement, for covered railroad freight cars and containers, embodying the invention, is free of the disadvantages of known constructions. Additionally, it is universally installable, insensitive to shock and impact at its closing edges, and permits extensive simplification of the necessary pivoting devices for the sliding wall sections.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved sliding wall arrangement for covered freight containers,

such as covered railroad freight cars.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a sliding wall arrangement wherein the sliding wall sections are fully interchangeable.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a sliding wall arrangement in which the sliding wall sections can be slipped onto a runner rail in a completely pre-assembled state from one end wall and one after another.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a sliding wall arrangement in which the outer longitudinal beams of the undercarriage of a freight car are free of runner and guide rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a sliding wall arrangement in which sealing of the vertical ends of the sliding wall sections relative to each other is effected purely metallically.

For an understanding of the principals of the invention, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevation view of a railroad freight car with a sliding wall arrangement embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line Illl of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, with one side wall section closed and with another side wall section opened and moved into the shifting plane;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, with a sliding wall section pivoted into the shifting plane;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of FIG. 1 illustrating a sliding lever and a ratchet bolt;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the freight car shown in FIG. 1, partly in section, illustrating a hand lever and actuating means;

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevation view of the actuating means shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a somewhat schematic horizontal sectional view through the side wall of the railroad car shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view, of a portion of FIG. 8, illustrating the butt joint between two sliding wall sections;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional detail of FIG. 8 illustrating the ends of two sidewall sections, one of which is closed and the other of which is opened;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the butt joint shown in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 12 is an end elevation view of the closing edge of a sliding wall section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, the side wall frame of the railroad freight car illustrated therein includes an upper stringer 1, corner posts 2, the outer longitudinal beam 3 of the undercarriage and an intermediate post 4 midway of the length of the railroad car. The opening in the side wall frame is closed by four identical sliding wall sections 5. While four such sliding wall sections are illustrated, together with one intermediate post, the principles of the invention are applicable equally to a sliding wall arrangement including less than four sliding wall sections or more than four sliding wall section 5, together with an appropriate number of intermediate posts 4.

The sliding wall sections 5 engage directly against the side wall frame when in the closed position, and are coplanar with each other in the closed position. To open sliding wall sections 5, they must be lifted off the side wall frame out of the closing position transversely of the length of the railroad car. For this purpose, in the particular enbodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a respective pivotable hand lever 6 is arranged on the adjacent corner post 2 for each outer sliding wall section 5, and on the intermediate post 4 for each central sliding wall section 5. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, each hand lever 6 is latchable in its closing position by a catch or latch 7 and is connected articulatedly, through a shorter lever 6a fixed to move with the lever 6, with push rods 8 and 9 arranged to extend approximately vertically in corner post 2 and intermediate posts 4. The outer end of each lever 8 and 9 is articulatedly connected to a respective lever 11, 10 fixed on hollow shafts l2 and 13 which are rotatably mounted in upper stringer l and in outer longitudinal beam 3, respectively.

Each tubular or hollow upper shaft 13 carries at least two fixed guide forks or rolls l4 spaced longitudinally of the car, at the ends of levers 15 secured to rotate with shaft 13, and each lower hollow or tubular shaft 12 has secured to rotate therewith at least two levers 16 spaced longitudinally of the car. In parallel with each lever 16 there is an additional lever 17 articulatedly mounted in a bearing lug 18 in the undercarriage of the railroad car, and levers 16 and 17 are pivotally connected, at their free ends, to brackets 19 each of which has a vertical web 20, in a plane extending longitudinally of the car, secured to its outer end or the end facing away from the longitudinal center ling of the car. Each web 20 matches, in its cross-section and in its projection area, a respective cutout in the outer longitudinal beam 3 of the undercarriage.

Each sliding wall section 5 has, at its upper edge, a number of supporting arms 21 corresponding to the number of guide forks or levers 15 with rolls 14. Each supporting arm 21 slants upwardly and inwardly toward the center line of the car, and then extends vertically upwardly after which the supporting arm slopes upwardly and inwardly toward the center line of the car and then horizontally followed by a downwardly extending portion forming a supporting cam 22 matching the profile of rolls 14. The vertically extending portion of each supporting arm 21 rotatably mounts a running roll 23 rotatable about a horizontal axis and extending from the outer surface of the supporting arm.

At the bottom, each sliding wall section also has lower supporting arms 24 which extend vertically downwardly, then slope inwardly and downwardly, and then extend vertically downwardly in an end section, with the free ends of this end section being bent into a channel shape to form guide elements 25. Near these free ends of lower supporting arms 24, each supporting arm rotatably mounts a roll 26 for rotation about a vertical axis, and each supporting arm has a depending leg spaced outwardly from its free end and forming a vertical running surface 27 corresponding to the cutout in outer longitudinal beam 3.

In the closing position of sliding wall sections 5, these sections tightly engage the top of upper stringer 1. Each supporting arm 21 rests on a roll 14 which rolls are moved by means of levers 15 into the over-dead center position. At the bottom portions of sliding wall sections 5, rolls 26 tightly engage vertical web plates 20 of brackets 19, with the guides 25 embracing the lower ends of these web plates. Running surface 27 of each supporting arm 24 forms a flush closure for the associated cutout in outer longitudinal beam 3, and lies in the running plane of rolls 26.

When a sliding wall section is to be opened, the respective hand lever 6 is turned after releasing catch 7. Through this operation of lever 6, as transmitted through levers 6a, push rods 8, 9 and the associated levers 11 and effect rotation of the respective tubular shafts l2 and 13 so as to rotate levers 15 and 16 secured to these shafts. At the top, the sliding wall section 5 is swung outwardly by means of rolls 14 and earns 22 on supporting arms 21. Runner rolls 23 are engaged with a runner rail 28, arranged in upper stringer 1, and extending rectilinearly between the two corner posts 2, the runner rolls 23 engaging a guide web 29 which is cut away or interrupted at those points at which runner rolls 23 are pivoted outwardly. At the bottom, the sliding wall section is, at the same time, brought into the open position by the brackets 19 which are pivoted outwardly parallel to the floor of the car or container through the medium of levers l6 and 17 constituting parallel linkages. in this position, the web plate 20 forms a flush closure for the cutout of outer longitudinal beam 3.

The sliding wall section 5 now can be shifted, at the top through runner rolls 23 and runner rail 28 and, at the bottom, through rolls 26 and outer longitudinal beam 3. Lateral guiding of the sliding wall section 5 at the top is effected by the rim or peripheral flange 23a of each runner roll 23 in engagement with guide web 29 and, at the bottom, through channelshape guides enbracing either the web plate 20 of a bracket 19 or the lower edge of outer longitudinal beam 3. At those points where guide web 29 of runner rail 28 has cutouts, supporting cams 22 take over the guiding of sliding wall section 5, either by guidance in rolls 14 or by bearing of the sliding wall section being opened against the supporting arms 21 of the still closed sliding wall sections 5.

To secure sliding wall sections 5 against longitudinal displacement in both the closing plane and the shifting plane, as well as to fix the closed position of the sliding wall parts during closing, each sliding wall section supports, at its longitudinal center, a spring-biased ratchet bolt 30 cooperable with a pivotally mounted shifting lever 31 provided for shifting of each sliding wall section 5, the construction being best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Each ratchet bolt 30 is engageable in a respective latch or locking device 32 formed with oppositely extending ramps 33 and mounted on outer longitudinal beam 3. Each ratchet bolt 30 is mounted for vertical movement in the associated sliding wall section 5 in a guide sleeve 34, and a helical spring 35 in guide sleeve 34 provides a spring-bias pressing the associated ratchet bolt 30 downwardly. Each guide sleeve 34 additionally has a cutout 36 through which there projects a lug or nose 37 secured to the associated ratchet bolt 30, and engaging a double arm lifting lever or abutment 38 secured to the pivot of sliding lever 31 and pivotal with the latter on the associated sliding wall section 5.

When sliding lever 31 is turned, ratchet bolt 30 is lifted through lifting lever 38 and lug 37, and thereby the fixing of the associated sliding wall section 5 is released.

In accordance with the invention, sliding lever 31 may be designed so that it remains in this position when released, by virtue of which a then accelerated sliding wall section 5 moves over open wall areas without ratchet bolt 30 engaging in a catch or locking device 32. In so doing, it can only be after the direction of force at sliding lever 31 changes that this lever could be turned around entirely to close the associated sliding wall section 5 in a closing operation, or sliding lever 31 could be brought into the central position after acceleration of the associated sliding wall section near the wall opening which it is desired to close, ratchet bolt 30 then moving upwardly counter to the spring-bias on a ramp 33 of the associated latching device 32 and being engaged in the latter. It is also conceivable to design the sliding lever 31 as shown in FIG. 4, so that when released, it pivots back into its middle position immediately due to the spring pressure of spring 35, and lifts ratchet bolt 30 only as the associated sliding wall section 5 is shifted by means of the sliding lever, due to its inclined position.

With the sliding wall arrangement and actuation in accordance with the invention, the sliding wall sections 5 can be shifted and fixed selectively and freely. At all times, two sliding wall sections 5 can be shifted over the other, thereby attaining a plurality of aperture variants. The manufacture of the sliding wall sections 5 is simple and economical due to the identical design, and assem bly is extremely simple as the sliding wall sections 5 need only be strung on runner rails 28 from a position adjacent one comer post 2.

To avoid an unintentional faulty manipulation of the actuating means 6 through 20, at opening sliding wall sections 5, at least one flap 40 for each hollow shaft 13 is pivotally mounted on a horizontally extending bolt or shaft 41 in the upper stringer 1 for pivoting longitudinally of the car or container. With sliding wall sections 5 either closed or standing in the pivoted-out position, flap 40 is pivoted upwardly by cams 22 of supporting arms 21, so that there is no hindrance to the pivoting of the respective sliding wall section 5. Upon shifting of a sliding wall section 5, flap 40 falls behind lever and blocks pivoting thereof. Faulty manipulation is thereby avoided reliably. In the closed position of each sliding wall section, the lever 6 of the associated actuating means is latched by the latch 7, which can simultaneously serve as a customs closure to receive a customs 7 seal.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 through 12, in the somewhat schematic illustration of FIG. 8, the side wall is delimited by two corner posts 2, and, centrally of the side wall, there is arranged an intermediate post 4 supporting upper stringer 1, with the car or container roof, or the undercarriage. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8, each field between corner posts 2 and an intermediate post 4 is closed by two sliding wall sections 5 which tightly engage, at their upper ends, the upper stringer and, at their bottom ends, the outer longitudinal beam 3 of the undercarriage. At each corner post 2 and an intermediate post 4, there is arranged, for pivoting about a vertical axis or pivot 45, a respective profile strip 46 arranged to embrace the ends of a sliding wall section 5 adjacent a corner post 2 and adjacent intermediate post 4. Profile strips 46 are approximately U-shape, and a sliding wall section 5 extends, in the closing position, into the open side of the U-shaped profile, the bights of the profile strips 46 embracing the associated pivot 45. In addition, each profile strip 46 is connected, by means of a respective spring 47, to a corner post 2 or to intermediate post 4 so as to be guidable over a dead center and swingable into two end positions.

When opening a sliding wall section, in the first phase, in which the sliding wall section is lifted off the side wall frame substantially perpendicularly to the side wall section, profile strips 46 are swung over dead center and become free relative to the sliding wall section. When closing a sliding wall section 5, the actuation of profile strips 46 by the sliding wall section is reversed and, by bearing of the sliding wall section against the inner webs of the U-shape profile strip 46, the latter is again pivoted over dead center to embrace the respective sliding wall section 5.

Each vertically extending endof each sliding wall section 5 carries packing strips 48 or, as shown in the particular example illustrated in FIGS. 9, l1 and 12, one vertically extending end may have the packing strips 48 and the other vertically extending end may be formed with an end profile 49 matching the profile or packing strips 48. Packing strips 48 may be of different or identical lengths, and the packing strips and the end profiles 49 have, at their engaging edges, oppositely directed bevels 48a and 49a sloping toward the longitudinal center line of the car or container and having a profile, in a horizontal plane, approximating the form of a stretched Z. With respect to all of the sliding wall sections 5 of a side wall, the lengths of the bevels 48a of packing strips 48 are equal to the lengths of the bevels 49a of the end profiles 49, and the horizontally coplanar bevels 48a and 49a extend in the same direction. The upper and lower end of each bevel face 48a and 49a point in one direction. The upper and lowe end of each bevel face 48a and 49a is likewise formed with an inclination 48b and 4912, respectively, and these inclinations are arranged so that the respective inclinations 48b or 49b of a bevel surface 48a or 49a converge.

In addition, the inclinations 48b and 49b and the bevel faces 48a and 490 are so arranged that their intersections lie, at the upper and lower end of each bevelled face, at mid-height of the bevel face and ofthe inclination, and meet, at one point, with the respective intersection of the adjacent inclination and bevelled face pointing in the other direction. Packing strips 48 consist of the closing packing having the bevelled face 48a and the inclination 48b, a rubber buffer 50 and a connection profile 51 for connection to the associated sliding wall section 5. Also, between individual packing strips 48, rubber inserts 52 are arranged. The buffers 50 and the inserts 52, while mentioned as being rubber, could be made of any suitable elastically deformable non-metallic material.

As already known in sliding wall arrangements, for each sliding wall section 5, there is arranged, approximately before its closing position and at the center of the sliding wall-section, a bolt 53 engageable with a corresponding guide 54 on the outer longitudinal beam of the undercarriage, or at the upper stringer. In accordance with the present invention, the conduction of the bolt 53 and the guide 54 is not purely perpendicular to the side wall but, in the last phase, is directed slightly arcuately with respect to the adjacent sliding wall section. Thereby, the sliding wall sections are guided against each other in pairs when being pivoted into their closing positions. In so doing, the closing edges of the sliding wall sections 5 are positioned face-to-face, both by their bevelled faces 48a and 49a and by their inclinations 48b and 49b, as well as by the straight parallel extending ends of the bevels. The elastic material buffers 50 and the elastic material inserts 52 compensate for structural imprecisions or length variations caused by temperature fluctuations. This results, both in the horizontal cross-section and in the vertical direction, in a true interlocking of sliding wall sections 5 with a labyrinth type seal, and with only metallic edges being engaged. The sliding wall sections 5 can be opened or closed as desired, and a free interchange of their positions is also possible. Additional locking of sliding wall sections 5, after movement into the closing plane, or additional sliding engagement relative to each other, for sealing, are not necessary.

In'accordance with an embodiment of the invention which has not been illustrated, profile strips 46 on corner posts 2 and intermediate posts 4 can, instead of being biased over the dead center position by a spring 47, be provided with a positive pivoting means coupled to the pivoting mechanism of the sliding wall sections.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sliding wall arrangement, for covered freight containers, such as covered railroad freight cars, having a floor, in which the sliding wall sections, which are co-planar in the closed state and are movable, transversely of the container, out of the closing plane and into a wall section shifting plane by operation of a respective hand lever and actuating linkage connected to the hand lever, are displaceable longitudinally of the container, for opening of the sliding wall, on rolls engaging fixed wall parts and intermediate posts of a side wall frame having an upper stringer, a lower outer beam and corner posts, with sealing of the vertical edges of the sliding wall sections to each other and to the corner and intermediate posts of the side wall frame being effected by labyrinth packings: the improvement comprising, in combination, at least two guide elements, respective to each sliding wall section, on the free ends of respective levers secured to a respective upper shaft extending longitudinally in said upper stringer for oscillation transversely of said container responsive to oscillation of the respective upper shaft by the associated actuating linkage; brackets, respective to each sliding wall section, adjacent said lower outer beam; respective parallel linkages pivotally connecting said brackets to said floor for horizontal displacement transversely of said container, each parallel linkage including levers coupled with the respective actuating linkage for each sliding wall section through the medium of a respectivelower shaft extending longitudinally of said container; each bracket including a vertically oriented web plate conformingly seated in a mating cutout in a vertical depending leg of said lower outer beam responsive to movement of the bracket to its outermost position; respective upper supporting arms on said sliding wall sections supporting runner rolls, for rotation about horizontal axes, and having supporting cams cooperating with said guide elements; respective lower supporting arms on said sliding wall sections supporting, at their free ends, second rolls, for rotation about vertical axes, and having guide clamps embracing the web plate of the associated bracket and operable to embrace said vertical leg of said lower outer beam; said sliding wall-sections being guided, in moving from said closing plane into said shifting plane, at their upper edges by the associated guide elements and, at their lower edges, by the associated brackets; each sliding wall section, when in said shifting plane, being displaceable longitudinally of said container by engagement of its runner rolls with an uninterrupted continuous runner rail extending longitudinally of said upper stringer and by engagement of its second rolls with the outer surface of said vertically dependent leg of said lower outer beam; interengageable sealing means on the vertical ends of said sliding wall sections, each sealing means including a series of sealing sections arranged along the associated vertical end; each sealing section having an outer sealing surface extending at an angle to the longitudinal center line of the container and the sealing surfaces of vertically adjacent sealing sections slanting in respective opposite angular directions; the sealing sections on each vertical end of a sliding section being arranged so that their slanting sealing surfaces are parallel to the slanting sealing surfaces of the sealing sections on the adjacent vertical end of an adjacent sliding wall section; and means operable, during at least the last phase of meovement of each sliding wall section from said shifting plane into said closing plane, to guide the sliding wall section obliquely toward the longitudinal center line of said container to effect tight sealing engagement of said sealing surfaces thereof with the mating sealing surfaces of an adjacent sliding section in said closing plane.

2. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said guide elements are rotatable rolls.

3. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said guide elements are guide forks.

4. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said lower supporting arms have vertical outer faces which, when the associated sliding wall section is in the closing plane, form flush closures for the cutouts in said lower outer beam and in the running plane of said second rolls.

5. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which each sliding wall section has, substantially at its longitudinal center, a vertically displaceable spring-biased latching bolt; said lower outer beam having respective latching elements cooperable with said latching bolts; each latching bolt being fixedly engaged in the associated latching element when its associated sliding wall section is in the closing plane and in the shifting plane; and a respective sliding lever pivotally mounted on each sliding wall section and operatively associated with the respective latching bolt to retract the latching bolt from the'associated latching element.

6. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which each latching bolt is displaceable in a respective guide sleeve; each latching bolt having a lug extending outwardly through a guide slot of the associated guide sleeve; each sliding lever having a double-arm lifting lever secured thereto for pivoting therewith; said double-arm lever, responsive to pivoting of the associated sliding lever in either longitudinal direction of said container, engaging and lifting said lug to release the associated latching bolt from the respective latching element.

7. In a sliding wall arrangemennthe improvement claimed in claim 1, in which the hand levers and actuating linkages for each outer sliding wall section are arranged at the adjacent corner posts; the hand levers and actuating linkages of each central sliding wall section being arranged on the intermediate post therebetween; respective releasable catches engageable with each hand lever to retain the same in its operative positions; each'hand lever oscillating the associated upper and lower shafts through the medium of push rods and intermediate levers operatively associated therewith.

8. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, including at least one blocking flap operatively associated with each upper shaft and swingable on a horizontal pivot in said upper stringer and in a direction longitudinally of said container; each flap being pivoted upwardly by an upper supporting arm of the associated sliding wall section when the latter is in its closing plane and in its shifting plane for movement of the associated flap out of the path of the oscillation of the levers supporting said guide elements; each flap dropping behind the associated lever supporting said guide elements, to prevent oscillation thereof, when the associated sliding wall sections is shifted longitudinally of said container.

9. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim I, in which the sealing sections at at least one end of each sliding wall sections have their inner surfaces engaged with buffers of elastic material for relative movement of the sliding wall sections into sealing relation.

10. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 9, including inserts of elastically deformable material interposed between vertically adjacent sealing sections.

11. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said interengageable sealing means comprises metal packing strips on one end wall of each sliding wall section and profiles on the opposite end wall thereof.

12. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 11, in which, in a horizontal plane, said packing strips and said profiles have the form of a stretched Z.

13. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which the vertically opposite ends of each sealing section are bevelled with converging inclinations; said inclinations and said bevelled faces being arranged so that the intersections with the respective adjacent bevelled surfaces and with the respective adjacent inclinations, pointing in a different direction, are located at the mid-height of said bevelled surfaces and said inclinations.

14. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said labyrinth packings on said corner and intermediate posts comprise vertically oriented profile strips having substantially U-shape cross-sections, and each pi'votally mounted on a respective vertically oriented pivot at the associated post; each profile strip embracing a respective sliding wall section as the sliding wall section is moved toward the closing plane for pivoting of the profile about its vertically oriented pivot, and being pivoted in the opposite direction, to disengage the associated sliding wall section, upon movement of the associated sliding wall section' toward the shifting plane.

15. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 14, including a respective spring connected between each profile and the associated corner post' and biasing the associated profile in opposite directions from a dead center position; whereby each profile is spring-biased into a sealing position and spring-biased out of a sealing position responsive, respectively, to closing and opening movements of its associated, sliding wall section.

16. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 14, including means connecting each profile to the actuating linkage for the associated sliding wall section for pivoting into and out of engagement with the associated sliding wall section responsive to opening and closing of the associated sliding wall section by the respective actuating mechanism. 

1. In a sliding wall arrangement, for covered freight containers, such as covered railroad freight cars, having a floor, in which the sliding wall sections, which are co-planar in the closed state and are movable, transversely of the container, out of the closing plane and into a wall section shifting plane by operation of a respective hand lever and actuating linkage connected to the hand lever, are displaceable longitudinally of the container, for opening of the sliding wall, on rolls engaging fixed wall parts and intermediate posts of a side wall frame having an upper stringer, a lower outer beam and corner posts, with sealing of the vertical edges of the sliding wall sections to each other and to the corner and intermediate posts of the side wall frame being effected by labyrinth packings: the improvement comprising, in combination, at least two guide elements, respective to each sliding wall section, on the free ends of respective levers secured to a respective upper shaft extending longitudinally in said upper stringer for oscillation transversely of said container responsive to oscillation of the respective upper shaft by the associated actuating linkage; brackets, respective to each sliding wall section, adjacent said lower outer beam; respective parallel linkages pivotally connecting said brackets to said floor for horizontal displacement transversely of said container, each parallel linkage including levers coupled with the respective actuating linkage for each sliding wall section through the medium of a respective lower shaft extending longitudinally of said container; each bracket including a vertically oriented web plate conformingly seated in a mating cutout in a vertical depending leg of said lower outer beam responsive to movement of the bracket to its outermost position; respective upper supporting arms on said sliding wall sections supporting runner rolls, for rotation about horizontal axes, and having supporting cams cooperating with said guide elements; respective lower supporting arms on said sliding wall sections supporting, at their free ends, second rolls, for rotation about vertical axes, and having guide clamps embracing tHe web plate of the associated bracket and operable to embrace said vertical leg of said lower outer beam; said sliding wall sections being guided, in moving from said closing plane into said shifting plane, at their upper edges by the associated guide elements and, at their lower edges, by the associated brackets; each sliding wall section, when in said shifting plane, being displaceable longitudinally of said container by engagement of its runner rolls with an uninterrupted continuous runner rail extending longitudinally of said upper stringer and by engagement of its second rolls with the outer surface of said vertically dependent leg of said lower outer beam; interengageable sealing means on the vertical ends of said sliding wall sections, each sealing means including a series of sealing sections arranged along the associated vertical end; each sealing section having an outer sealing surface extending at an angle to the longitudinal center line of the container and the sealing surfaces of vertically adjacent sealing sections slanting in respective opposite angular directions; the sealing sections on each vertical end of a sliding section being arranged so that their slanting sealing surfaces are parallel to the slanting sealing surfaces of the sealing sections on the adjacent vertical end of an adjacent sliding wall section; and means operable, during at least the last phase of meovement of each sliding wall section from said shifting plane into said closing plane, to guide the sliding wall section obliquely toward the longitudinal center line of said container to effect tight sealing engagement of said sealing surfaces thereof with the mating sealing surfaces of an adjacent sliding section in said closing plane.
 2. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said guide elements are rotatable rolls.
 3. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said guide elements are guide forks.
 4. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said lower supporting arms have vertical outer faces which, when the associated sliding wall section is in the closing plane, form flush closures for the cutouts in said lower outer beam and in the running plane of said second rolls.
 5. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which each sliding wall section has, substantially at its longitudinal center, a vertically displaceable spring-biased latching bolt; said lower outer beam having respective latching elements cooperable with said latching bolts; each latching bolt being fixedly engaged in the associated latching element when its associated sliding wall section is in the closing plane and in the shifting plane; and a respective sliding lever pivotally mounted on each sliding wall section and operatively associated with the respective latching bolt to retract the latching bolt from the associated latching element.
 6. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which each latching bolt is displaceable in a respective guide sleeve; each latching bolt having a lug extending outwardly through a guide slot of the associated guide sleeve; each sliding lever having a double-arm lifting lever secured thereto for pivoting therewith; said double-arm lever, responsive to pivoting of the associated sliding lever in either longitudinal direction of said container, engaging and lifting said lug to release the associated latching bolt from the respective latching element.
 7. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which the hand levers and actuating linkages for each outer sliding wall section are arranged at the adjacent corner posts; the hand levers and actuating linkages of each central sliding wall section being arranged on the intermediate post therebetween; respective releasable catches engageable with each hand lever to retain the same in its operative positions; each hand lever oscillating the associated Upper and lower shafts through the medium of push rods and intermediate levers operatively associated therewith.
 8. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, including at least one blocking flap operatively associated with each upper shaft and swingable on a horizontal pivot in said upper stringer and in a direction longitudinally of said container; each flap being pivoted upwardly by an upper supporting arm of the associated sliding wall section when the latter is in its closing plane and in its shifting plane for movement of the associated flap out of the path of the oscillation of the levers supporting said guide elements; each flap dropping behind the associated lever supporting said guide elements, to prevent oscillation thereof, when the associated sliding wall sections is shifted longitudinally of said container.
 9. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which the sealing sections at at least one end of each sliding wall sections have their inner surfaces engaged with buffers of elastic material for relative movement of the sliding wall sections into sealing relation.
 10. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 9, including inserts of elastically deformable material interposed between vertically adjacent sealing sections.
 11. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said interengageable sealing means comprises metal packing strips on one end wall of each sliding wall section and profiles on the opposite end wall thereof.
 12. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 11, in which, in a horizontal plane, said packing strips and said profiles have the form of a stretched Z.
 13. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which the vertically opposite ends of each sealing section are bevelled with converging inclinations; said inclinations and said bevelled faces being arranged so that the intersections with the respective adjacent bevelled surfaces and with the respective adjacent inclinations, pointing in a different direction, are located at the mid-height of said bevelled surfaces and said inclinations.
 14. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said labyrinth packings on said corner and intermediate posts comprise vertically oriented profile strips having substantially U-shape cross-sections, and each pivotally mounted on a respective vertically oriented pivot at the associated post; each profile strip embracing a respective sliding wall section as the sliding wall section is moved toward the closing plane for pivoting of the profile about its vertically oriented pivot, and being pivoted in the opposite direction, to disengage the associated sliding wall section, upon movement of the associated sliding wall section toward the shifting plane.
 15. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 14, including a respective spring connected between each profile and the associated corner post and biasing the associated profile in opposite directions from a dead center position; whereby each profile is spring-biased into a sealing position and spring-biased out of a sealing position responsive, respectively, to closing and opening movements of its associated, sliding wall section.
 16. In a sliding wall arrangement, the improvement claimed in claim 14, including means connecting each profile to the actuating linkage for the associated sliding wall section for pivoting into and out of engagement with the associated sliding wall section responsive to opening and closing of the associated sliding wall section by the respective actuating mechanism. 